Mbeumo interview: ‘There’s additional stress with out Toney – and I’m able to step up’
T
here’s a shyness about the way in which Bryan Mbeumo talks that isn’t in step with his fearless type of play.
While the tempo and energy of Brentford’s bulldozing attacker have introduced him three targets of their first two Premier League video games this season, away from the pitch he’s softly spoken and thought of.
“Life is very good”, he tells Standard Sport. “I have my family here at the moment. They live in Troyes, in France, and they’ve come over for two weeks.”
Mbeumo left Troyes for Brentford 4 years in the past. Now greater than ever, supervisor Thomas Frank is counting on him to step up whereas Ivan Toney serves his eight-month betting ban.
“It’s going to be hard [without Ivan]. We’re going to miss his character, his energy, his leadership. I message him to ask him if he’s good. He’s doing well,” says Mbuemo. “But we have the players to replace Ivan. Everybody needs to take responsibility now.”
Mbeumo, particularly, appears to have discovered one other gear. Ahead of Saturday’s match in opposition to Crystal Palace, the 24-year-old and strike companion Yoane Wissa have scored all 5 of Brentford’s league targets within the new season. He is already moving into Toney’s boots to develop into Brentford’s important man — and he’s snug with the duty.
“To be one of the best you have to assume the pressure that comes onto you,” he says. “If I have to take this position then I will take it.”
Bryan Mbeumo is moving into Ivan Toney’s footwear
/ Getty ImagesHe scored from the spot in each video games, and is tied because the Premier League’s joint prime scorer. “It’s very good for my confidence, especially scoring penalties,” says Mbeumo. “It’s important for a striker to score in the first few games. I’m the penalty taker now, so I have to train hard at this.”
Mbeumo reached new heights final season, netting 9 Premier League targets and tallying eight assists, in addition to representing Cameroon on the World Cup. But that led to defenders paying him nearer consideration.
“This is something you have to be aware of,” he says. “I always set targets for goal involvements. For a striker, this area is very important — to help the team by winning, scoring, making assists.”
Brentford completed ninth final season, recording their document top-flight factors whole of 59, and missed out on European soccer by simply two factors.
“We didn’t talk too much about this,” Mbeumo says about European targets for this marketing campaign. “We just said we had an amazing season last year and want to recreate it. All the staff have the same mentality as us. They push us in every aspect.”
Mbeumo appears to embody the quiet optimism that has lifted Brentford to locations the membership has by no means been earlier than. He says: “We don’t want to put limits on ourselves. I don’t want to put limits on myself.”
Reflecting on his 4 years in England, he says: “There have been some ups and downs.
“My agent told me about this project when I was at Troyes in 2019. The staff travelled to see me in France and I liked the project. It was tough. Even if I had a good English level at school, people speak faster in the actual country. It took time to adapt.
“I had a great first season here. The second was a bit of a down. The third was better, and then last season made me a better player.”